Crash and Burn
by nanniships
Summary: John and Anna Bates' two year old hates naps. And afternoons off aren't what they used to be.


**A/N- I found a bit more fluff lurking on my computer. It may give you cavities. Brush after reading.**

Crash and Burn

Anna closed the door to her sons' room with the greatest of care, then leaned against it, with her hand on her forehead. For forty minutes, she had battled her two year old son's resistance to the nap he needed so badly. After a stint of denial - _not tired, Mama _- anger- _No nap! No nap!_ - bargaining - _ONE more story, Mama_ - depression - _NEVER have fun - _and more anger- _NO NAP! NO! NO! NO! - _Eddie finally reached acceptance and lay in his cot, sniveling and clutching his grubby, old bear with tears lingering on his eyelashes as his eyes fluttered shut.

Anna made her way downstairs and paused at the foot to wearily observe the clutter in the parlor. What she really needed was a spot of tea and a few quiet moments. But the sight of Eddie's blocks scattered across the carpet, William's mittens laying in the doorway where he'd dropped them on his way to school that morning, and John's books tilted askew in the bookshelf was more than she could take. Muttering to herself about the futility of trying to keep up after three boys, Anna began to tidy up while she had the opportunity. Once Eddie woke up and William came home, her chance to make the cottage presentable would be lost.

So absorbed was she in her task, bending, stooping and reaching, that she failed to notice the front door open and quietly close. John Bates stood in the entry of his castle and watched his wife move smoothly and efficiently through the room with great appreciation.

"How do they manage to make such a mess? Filthy creatures," Anna mumbled to the blocks she was gathering.

"Surely we're not THAT bad?" John replied. Dropping the blocks, Anna whirled around and smothered a shriek behind her hands.

"What are you doing here?" she gasped. John raised an eyebrow.

"I suppose I can leave, if you'd rather."

"Silly beggar! And look what you made me do..." Anna picked up the blocks she had just dropped and straightened back up to smile at her unexpected husband's face. John came the rest of the way into the parlor and waited for her to deposit the blocks into their box before grabbing Anna's waist and pulling her to him.

"What are you doing home, John? This isn't your half day," she asked, placing her hands on his chest and looking up into his smiling eyes.

"His Lordship decided to go fishing and told me I wouldn't be needed until he brought home his catch. If he goes according to form, I won't be needed for several days." Anna snickered at this accurate representation of His Lordship's angling prowess. "I had nothing extra to do, so Mr. Carson told me to go home. I certainly wasn't going to argue with him."

"No, we wouldn't want to do that," Anna replied. She gave him a quick kiss, and then ducked out of his arms to head for the kitchen. "As you're here, she called back over her shoulder, you can join me in a cuppa. I'm perishing for one. Eddie almost didn't go down for his nap."

By the expression on John's face, a cup of tea wasn't quite what he had in mind. But he cheerfully followed, happy to spend any time alone with his wife, and very relieved to hear that his over active youngest was resting.

"He is down, though?" he asked. Anna nodded, with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. "That would explain why he didn't climb my leg the moment I walked in." Anna set out the tea things and took a moment to simply watch her husband in the clear light of day, sitting in the kitchen with her, with no potential interruptions. John stirred his tea with a happy little sigh.

No sooner had his mother closed the door to the room than Eddie's little head popped up. Bear went flying over the side of the cot and Eddie stood, bouncing on the mattress, looking all around the room. This nap thing was really becoming unbearable. How can anyone be expected to spend a good hour locked up in a cot, away from everything that was going on? Simply unreasonable.

On the other hand, it was a good opportunity to spend some alone time with his big brother's toys, something that didn't come along everyday. Eddie scanned the shelf over his brother's bed until his eyes found what they sought - the wooden airplane model that William had spent three weeks building and painting with Papa. He'd wanted to hold it before the paint had even dried on it, but William had made it quite clear that he was never to touch it, upon pain of instant death and dismemberment. As Eddie didn't know what any of that meant, he wasn't impressed with the threat. But William was smart enough to put his model up high, and THAT had been enough to stop Eddie and his curious little fingers.

"Want that," Eddie murmured, still bouncing up and down. William hadn't even let him hold the pieces. It didn't seem fair. Neither was it fair that he was stuck in this cot. Pushing his lower lip out, he tried to address this injustice by throwing his little leg up as high as he could. Surprising himself, he managed to hook it over the top of the cot rail. This hadn't worked the last time he tried it. Of course, now that it was up, he didn't seem to be able to get it down. Pulling and grunting, he levered himself up until his body was balanced on the cot rail. There were only two directions he could go at this point, and back into the crib simply wasn't an option. His sturdy little body hit the floor with a resounding thump, and Eddie lay stunned for a moment, wondering if it hurt. Determining that it didn't, he clambered up and climbed onto his brother's bed, putting his head just under the shelf that held all his hopes and dreams.

Unaware that their youngest was not asleep and, indeed, was plotting escape, Anna and John enjoyed a quiet chat, holding hands across the table. As their fingers danced, and their eyes met, the conversation rather died off. Flushed, Anna jumped up to clear the tea things, only to be caught by John's quick hands and pulled into his lap. Her giggle was cut off as she heard something odd from upstairs.

"What?" John said, his lips wandered over her jaw and behind her ear. She pushed him away slightly and cocked her head towards the stairs. Undaunted, he renewed the attack on the back of her neck.

"Didn't you hear that?" she asked. He shook his head and began to nibble.

"Hear what?" he mumbled between bites. Torn between the natural concern of a mother of a toddler when strange noises are heard and the appeal of the noises John was making as he ran his hands up and down her back, Anna hesitated slightly.

"I could have sworn I heard someth..." John's lips cut off her statement. And by the time the kiss was done, she wasn't certain she heard anything other than the beating of her heart. She twisted in his lap to face him fully and wrapped her arms around him.

Eddie reached up to grasp the edge of the shelf and pulled himself up until he could see the objects on it. The airplane was crouched in front of him, looking as if it could take off any second, if one ignored the crooked wheels, drips and runs from the paint job, and slightly askew wings. Eddie ignored these things easily. To him, it could FLY. And he had to have it, just for a moment.

"Want that," he stated firmly. Pulling himself up again, he flailed his arm in the general direction of the airplane. William's coin bank and stack of drawings were swept off the shelf and landed on the bed. He tried again. A cricket ball and a collection of perfectly ordinary acorns were the victims this time. Grunting in frustration, Eddie prepared to try again. He almost hollered for his Mama to come help, but something in the back of his busy little mind told him that would not be a good idea. One more pull, jump and sweep, and the incredible flying machine flew off the shelf on its maiden flight, missed the end of the bed, and landed on the floor, breaking one of the propellers right off.

Eddie peered over the edge of William's bed in shock. This... this wasn't good at all. Sliding carefully down to the floor, he squatted down and picked up the injured airplane in one hand and the propeller in the other. Death... dismemberment... he didn't know exactly what these things were, but he knew that William was going to be ever so mad. He might yell at him, then thump him, then not play with him for a few days. Eddie's eyes filled with tears at the thought and all his toddler instincts screamed at him to do the one thing he could in this sort of situation... Hide. Clutching the pieces tightly, he ran to do just that.

Eddie could have been playing "God Save the King" on his tin trumpet at that moment and his Mama and Papa wouldn't have heard him. Anna ceased to listen for suspicious noises. John hadn't cared in the first place. But Anna did notice that they were practically laid across the table in broad daylight and pushed John away with a little gasp.

"We can't stay here," she informed him breathlessly. "Anyone could come to the door."

"Upstairs, then," John suggested, pulling off his tie and collar that Anna had already loosened. Anna's eyes looked doubtful.

"But Eddie... He's a light sleeper during the day, John. I don't know..." Anna bit her lip as John huffed in frustration.

"Anna, how many free afternoons do I ever get?" he growled. "If Eddie wakes up, he can stay in the bloody cot." Anna frowned at him.

"Language, John." John rolled his eyes and began fiddling with the buttons on the front of her dress.

"Please, Anna." He gave her a look half pitiful, half knowing. "At this rate, it won't take very long." Anna couldn't hold back her chuckle and allowed her eyes to roam over him. With another impatient huff, he pulled her to him and kissed her deeply.

"Fine," she said breathlessly. "But we HAVE to be quiet." At his smile and raised eyebrow, she gave him a stern look. "And no smug comments from you, Mr. Bates." Taking his hand, she pulled him in the direction of the stairs.

Feeling a little foolish, they tiptoed through the narrow hall. Anna looked hard at her son's door, and paused to listen, but heard nothing. Satisfied, she led John faster to their door, pulled him through, and shut it quietly.

John embraced her immediately and busied his hands with her buttons as he walked them towards their bed. When it hit the back of her legs, Anna lost her balance and fell onto the mattress trying to muffle her involuntary shriek. John followed her, landing next to her and making the bed frame shake. Neither were prepared for the howl of terror that pierced the air of their bedroom.

Safe in his favorite hiding place, Eddie had almost fallen asleep, cradling the broken pieces of William's airplane in his hand. Suddenly, the noise of a door shutting, and the sound of grunting and gasping made him freeze. Using the impeccable logic that, if you can't see them, they can't see you, he closed his eyes tightly. The noises he could have waited out, but when the very roof over his head plunged down to within inches of his little nose, he knew the only thing that could save him was his Mama. So he let out a howl that would surely bring her running.

John clambered up off of the bed and looked around wildly. Anna clutched her half opened dress together with one hand and sat up with her other hand over her mouth.

"What the bloody hell was that!" John roared.

"It sounded like Eddie!" Anna cried.

"It couldn't have been Eddie; it came from under the bed!" John replied. They exchanged horrified glances, then Anna knelt down and looked carefully under their bed. Deep in the gloom, Eddie's little body was shaking with sobs, his fists were crammed into his eyes.

"Edward Daniel Bates! You come out from under there at once!" she ordered through clenched teeth.

"Not all the names!" Eddie wailed. When all the names were spoken, things were dire indeed.

"Yes, all the names!" Anna snapped back. "Don't make me crawl under there and get you!"

Slowly, Eddie crawled out from under the bed, squinting in the light of the bedroom. His hands clutched the pieces of William's airplane like a drowning man clings to a spar of wood. He stood on shaky legs to face the furious glare of his Mama and the incredulous face of his Papa.

"Papa!" he shouted through his tears. He would have run over to him and started climbing up his leg for a hug, but Papa sat down on the bed with a inarticulate strangled sound and Eddie decided to keep his distance.

For a moment, there was silence in the room, except for Eddie's sobs. Anna turned slightly away from Eddie and buttoned up her dress with shaking fingers while John watched her with a thoroughly disappointed expression. Taking a deep breath, Anna picked up her son and sat him on the bed, next to his father. Putting her hands on her hips, she stared down at him.

"Eddie, how did you get out of your cot? Why were you under our bed?" she demanded. Eddie took several hitching breaths and held out the pieces of William's airplane.

"William be mad," he sobbed, as if that explained everything. Anna took the pieces from Eddie's hands and set them on her bedside table.

"Eddie, did you climb out of your cot?" she asked sternly. Eddie shook his head no... than at her expression, nodded instead.

"How long has he been doing that?" John wondered aloud.

"Never, I didn't think," Anna replied, not taking her eyes off of Eddie. "Is this the first time you climbed out, Eddie?" Eddie nodded again.

"I'll have to see if I can't raise the sides," John said with a sigh. This gift of an unexpected half day had not exactly gone as he had intended. Anna threw her hands in the air as she pictured her precious, free afternoons disappearing in the face of Eddie's agility.

Thinking that they had gotten a bit off the subject, Eddie repeated: "William be mad."

"William being mad is the LAST thing you need to worry about now, young man," Anna snapped at him. Eddie began to sob again.

"Shall I put him over my knee?" John asked, with a slight smile curling the corner of his mouth. Anna glared at him while Eddie wailed at the prospect.

"Don't think I'm not tempted," she answered loudly over Eddie's cries. "But I'm not sure he's entirely to blame for this." Relenting, she took Eddie into her arms and sat down next to John on the bed. They began to laugh as their eyes met and mirrored their frustration with the interruption to their lovely afternoon.

Eddie buried his face in her shoulder. If Mama and Papa were laughing, he probably didn't need to worry about all the names anymore. Papa picked him up out of Mama's lap and held him up so that his eyes were level with Papa's.

"No more hiding under our bed, Eddie," he said sternly. Eddie nodded eagerly. To be honest, he wasn't that anxious to hide under the bed again anyway. He'd need a new favorite hiding place. John placed him down on the floor and stood up with a groan.

Realizing that it was useless to try to put Eddie back down in his cot, Anna allowed him to come downstairs and have a snack. He and Papa were sharing a plate of biscuits and reading a story when William came bursting through the front door, home from school.

"Papa! You're home!" he yelled, as he dumped his bag on the floor and ran to give John a hug, ignoring Eddie's greetings. "Why are you home today?"

"His Lordship is fishing," Anna said from the kitchen. "Put your things in your room, William."

"But Papa's home," he argued. "I want to show him my numbers."

"Now, William," Anna insisted. "And put your mittens in your coat pockets. Didn't you miss them today?"

William rolled his eyes dramatically and did as he was told with much muttering. John tipped him a wink as he dragged his bag towards the stairs as if it weighed a ton.

"Bring your numbers back down to show me, Son..." Eddie tugged impatiently at his sleeve and pointed at the book. "Yes, Eddie. I'll finish now."

William pounded up the stairs with his things and threw open the door to his room. There was a sudden silence.

"MY THINGS! MY BANK! MY ACORNS! WHAT HAPPENED!?" John's eyes met Anna's and they grimaced at each other. Eddie jumped out of John's lap, his face a picture of alarm.

"MY AIRPLANE? WHERE IS MY AIRPLANE!?" Williams voice kept rising in shock and outrage.

"EDDIE! EDDIE, WHEN I CATCH YOU...!"

John saw a movement out of the corner of his eye and looked over just in time to see the soles of Eddie's feet disappearing under the couch. Anna was grinning broadly.

"William be mad," John said solemnly. Anna laughed aloud.

"Eddie just might want to stay under there for a little while," she replied, as the thunderous sound of William's feet could be heard coming back down the stairs.


End file.
